Ardie Savea will skipper the side against the Wallabies. Photo / photosport.nz
Ardie Savea will skipper the side against the Wallabies. Photo / photosport.nz
Experimentation and continuity collide as the All Blacks and Wallabies adopt contrasting selection tactics for the Bledisloe Cup battle at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
One change to the starting team that steamrolled the Springboks – Dalton Papali’i replacing injured captain Sam Cane – signals All Blacks coach Ian Foster’s desireto further enhance combinations.
For Saturday at least, tweaking the bench is as far as Foster is prepared to tinker as he inches ever closer to establishing his first-choice squad.
While the All Blacks are intent on securing the Rugby Championship and Bledisloe before turning attention to the looming World Cup, Wallabies coach Eddie Jones has ushered in seven starting changes following two straight defeats to open his tenure.
That includes promoting rookie Rebels first five-eighth Carter Gordon outside dangerous Reds halfback Tate McDermott. Tom Hooper, who endured a horror debut against the Springboks from blindside, is also asked to fill the unfamiliar No 7 jersey.
Jones, in predictable fashion, slipped seamlessly into character by launching full-blown deflection mode in Melbourne on Thursday with suggestions upsetting the All Blacks this weekend would spark an economic crash in New Zealand.
Rolling the selection dice suits Jones’ narrative, too. Losses don’t matter at this point because he is building the Wallabies for the World Cup. That’s true to a point but so, too, is time running out to manufacture confidence – and live up to the significant hype that accompanied his arrival to replace Dave Rennie at the helm this year.
With over 80,000 tickets sold, 22-year-old playmaker Gordon, in particular, faces a baptism of fire against the All Blacks.
In performance and personnel, the All Blacks project an increasingly settled, stable, foreboding exterior. They must maintain standards set against the Pumas and Boks. Consistency of selection offers the best chance to do exactly that.
“It’s a reward for a group that made some good strides at Mt Smart,” Foster said. “Largely we’re keen to keep those combinations going but also we’re able to put some change through the bench and look at different ways we can impact our performance.
“We like the short-term focus. We don’t want to hide from the challenge and say we’re holding heaps of stuff back for later in the year. You can seduce yourself into doing that. This is a big test match, and we love these. It’s the MCG, the Wallabies, and the chance to lock away the Rugby Championship and Bledisloe.”
Ardie Savea assumes the captaincy with Cane battling a minor neck issue which paves the way for Papali’i to relish the starting openside role. Yet the most notable talking point is retaining Brodie Retallick and Scott Barrett’s locking combination to leave Sam Whitelock to return from his two-test absence due to a nagging Achilles injury from the bench.
“It’s his repertoire for this week. That’s as far as we’re looking,” Foster said. “I know everyone is intrigued with the locks but it’s a great situation to be in. We’ve had Josh Lord play well this year; Tupou [Vaa’i] has come off the bench really effectively twice. Now we’ve got Sam coming back. We all know his class and experience. Largely he’s been used to starting so this is a different challenge for him. We’ll just assess that but there’s plenty of rugby ahead. It’s a different role for him but he’s excited by it. It’s great to have his experience to inject at some point.”
Brodie Retallick and Scott Barrett will continue their lock combination. Photo / Getty
Anton Lienert-Brown’s return from his two-match suspension off the bench is another step towards cementing the premier squad to tackle the World Cup. Others such as tighthead prop Fletcher Newell are yet to return from injury. Dynamic prop Tamaiti Williams is pushing hard for inclusion, too. Leicester Fainga’anuku will state his case next week following a lingering calf issue. Foster also confirmed there is room for Damian McKenzie to slot on the bench – just not this week.
Cam Roigard’s debut could be one to savour. His potent running threat around the fringes and booming left foot proved compelling points of difference for the Hurricanes this year. He now gets to showcase those qualities off the bench in the test arena and stake a claim for back-up halfback duties.
Other than Cane’s absence and the ongoing question around the ideal locking combination, this is Foster’s preferred starting team.
Form suggests the All Blacks should extend their Bledisloe dominance to 21 successive years but after their escape following a never-seen-before time-wasting decision in Melbourne last year, Foster remains wary.
“There’s not too many years we don’t have drama and a last-minute result against the Wallabies. I remember Malakai [Fekitoa] scoring in Brisbane near the end and Colin Slade kicking the conversion. That’s one of so many test matches that have gone down to the wire. We know they fight to the end and so do we. We’re going to have to.”
Wallabies v All Blacks, Saturday 9.45pm, Melbourne
Australia: Andrew Kellaway, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Jordan Petaia, Samu Kerevi, Marika Koroibete, Carter Gordon, Tate McDermott, Rob Valetini, Tom Hooper, Jed Holloway, Will Skelton, Nick Frost, Allan Alaalatoa (c), David Porecki, Angus Bell.
Reserves: Jordan Uelese, James Slipper, Taniela Tupou, Richie Arnold, Rob Leota, Nic White, Quade Cooper, Izaia Perese.
All Blacks: Beauden Barrett, Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Mark Telea, Richie Mo’unga, Aaron Smith, Ardie Savea (c), Dalton Papali’i, Shannon Frizell, Scott Barrett, Brodie Retallick, Tyrel Lomax, Codie Taylor, Ethan de Groot.
Reserves: Samisoni Taukei’aho, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Nepo Laulala, Sam Whitelock, Luke Jacobson, Cam Roigard, Anton Lienert-Brown, Caleb Clarke.
